The Chinese government is now taking concrete measures to implement the aid packages to Africa it announced earlier last month and to ensure they bring real benefits to African people.
During the China-Africa Cooperation Forum in Beijing, China offered to increase assistance to Africa, including preferential loans, debt exemptions, favorable tariff policies and personnel training.
CRI's Qiu Wei will bring us a specific example of Chinese aid taking place in Kenya.
Tuesday Morning, Nairobi UN Headquarters, Kenya.
Pupils of MCEDO Primary School were celebrating the news that the Chinese embassy will donate money to help them build a new schoolhouse.
Established in 2001 and located in the biggest slum area in the Kenyan capital, MCEDO Primary School was initially funded by the local community even though they all come from poor families. Due to financial shortage, MCEDO cannot provide full-scale teaching facilities, not even a decent schoolhouse. Over 200 students at the school have to rent classrooms scattered around the region.
"We have classrooms, but they are not in one place...You have to go and find another class in another place, which is very far."
Learning about the news, the Chinese embassy in Kenya decided to offer a donation of 25,000 US dollars for the construction of a schoolhouse for MCEDO Primary School.
Ambassador Zhang Ming says he hopes that the move can improve the schooling situation for the kids.
"I hope that my donation can provide the children at MCEDO school better education conditions and serve Mathare community as well. I believe building the school will not only benefit children, but also become a symbol of the existing friendship between China and Kenya."
For his part, Kenyan vice Minister of Education Kilemi Mwiria says the donation meets the need of the local community and will certainly help.
"So far, slum communities are the disadvantage of this country. so focus on this group is what the government needs to support."
Among the pupils currently enrolled at MCEDO School, one-third are orphans, while another third come from single-parent families. However, having a brand-new schoolhouse seems to have overtaken their hardships in life.
"I am very happy that we will have our own schoolhouse. We can play in it as we like"
In light of the Chinese donation, Mathare community, where the MCEDO school is located, has decided to rename the school MCEDO-Beijing Primary School.
QW, CRI News.
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